Higher wages for part-timers a bright spot in Japanese economy

Wages for part-time workers in offices, restaurants and factories in Japan have been rising as a result of labor shortages, Bloomberg reported.

Average hourly wages offered to part-time job applicants in Japan’s three largest metropolitan areas increased 1.8 percent in March from a year earlier, the 33rd consecutive monthly gain, figures from Recruit Jobs, a Tokyo placement company, show.

Wages in six job categories — including clerical jobs in offices, call center operations, and data entry work — were higher.

The gains for part-timers — which were even stronger at a record 2.2 percent in February — are outpacing those for full-time workers because employers are turning to them to fill gaps as the shrinking and aging population reduces their workforce.

“It has completely become a workers’ market because of the severe shortage of part-time workers,” said Kuniko Usagawa, senior manager of the jobs research center at Recruit Jobs.

“It’s getting more difficult to hire people unless companies raise their wages, even if working hours are short.”

Part-time employees made up a record 30 percent of Japan’s labor force last year, rising from 13 percent in 1990, labor ministry figures show.

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